MyPoints Admits Sale is Pending; Does Not “Anticipate” Program Changes

I emailed MyPoints on January 3rd when I found that, just a few days after advertising their new credit card offered through Chase Bank, suddenly the points offer for signing up, as well as all details about the card, had been pulled from the site. (Subsequently the offer was reinstated but, interestingly, now Providian is the issuer of their card.) I asked if this was related to MyPoints’ impending sale, and while they were at it, could they comment on what we as members could expect as a result of that sale.
Three weeks later MyPoints finally responded to my email. (GREAT customer service there, guys!) I’ve been out of town and just received their response to my email. I found it interesting and thought I would share:
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From: membercare@mypoints.com
Date: 2006/01/24 Tue PM 07:19:21 EST
To: (my alternate email address)
Subject: [INTERACTID:4487413]Re: MyPoints Credit Card
Dear Becky,
Thank you for contacting MyPoints Member Care.
You can now take advantage of the MyPoints Providian Visa card offer.
Please log onto your MyPoints account and use the link to this offer that can be found on your homepage. This offer is fully functional at this time.
We do not anticipate any changes that will affect our members after MyPoints is sold. We anticipate that the program rules and details will remain the same as always.
Thank you for your valued membership.
Have a nice day.
Best regards,
Jill I.
MyPoints Member Services
Please email all inquiries to memberservices@mypoints.com
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First of all, this is the first time to my knowledge that MyPoints’ member services department has acknowledged that the site is up for sale. Another member services employee responded to a reader’s inquiry about it several weeks ago indicating that it had already changed hands. I didn’t believe that at the time, and this latest response from member services also contradicts that.
Second off, I can’t say that, personally, I find much comfort in MyPoints’ assurance that they don’t “anticipate” any changes in the program from the member’s point of view. They have no way of knowing what any potential buyer might do with the program. It’s a pretty stupid statement, really — I mean, if I sold my house, I wouldn’t “anticipate” the new owners changing the wallpaper, but of COURSE that would be a huge possibility, wouldn’t it?
Anyway — just throwing that out there in the “for what it’s worth” category. By the way, United Airlines (MyPoints’ parent company, if you haven’t been following this closely) finally emerged from bankruptcy protection
this afternoon.